Fremocentrist sends this invitation: Learn about the history, personalities and opportunities created by these cultural icons, by the volunteers involved. On Saturday, May 26th at 2pm, join in a free, public presentation about the Fremont Arts Council and the two most iconic and legendary events produced by this non-profit, volunteer-run organization. At the Fremont Branch of the Seattle Public Library System, learn about how the Fremont Solstice Parade and the Celebration, at Gasworks Park, began and what it takes to create these engaging opportunities for free expression and artistic performance.

The one-hour program will be presented by Kirby Laney, of Fremocentrist.com, with two Fremont Arts Council volunteers – Susan Harper, Past President, and Farley Harding, Current President. With personal from-the-trenches experience, and intimate knowledge of the effort expended by decades of dedicated volunteers, these two (and special guests,) will share how the Fremont Solstice Parade, through grassroots, people-powered means, has been built into a signature city event.

In addition, at this Fremont Fireside Chat, learn about the Celebration the Fremont Arts Council produces, directly following the Fremont Solstice Parade, where art and unrestrainable exuberance meet and mix. The Celebration, originally started as the Pageant, has become a fixture of Fremont Solstice activities, and an opportunity for more creative expression and community building.

Come hear how ordinary citizens organized and orchestrated this original set of events! The presentation is free, and appropriate for all ages, with questions-and-answers, and refreshments, to follow.• At the Fremont Branch Library, 731 N 35th St • Saturday, May 26th at 2p• FREE, for all ages• More images available for publication• Presented in partnership with The Seattle Public Library, and the Fremont Arts Council• For more information, contact 206-632-3170 or instigator@fremocentrist.com

]]>http://fremontneighborhoodcouncil.org/whats-the-story-behind-the-fremont-solstice/feed/03514Learn About Fremont and Clara Goddard in the Gold Rushhttp://fremontneighborhoodcouncil.org/learn-about-fremont-and-clara-goddard-in-the-gold-rush/
http://fremontneighborhoodcouncil.org/learn-about-fremont-and-clara-goddard-in-the-gold-rush/#respondTue, 08 May 2018 00:36:42 +0000http://fremontneighborhoodcouncil.org/?p=3500

Funded by Fremont investors and a crew of Fremont men, early Fremont residents A. J. and Clara Goddard took parts for steamboats to the Klondike in 1898. They hauled the parts over White Pass and assembled them on Lake Bennett. They were to first to make the 400+ mile trip by steamer from the lake to Dawson in 1898 and Clara was the first woman to pilot a steamer on the Yukon River.

Come to the Fremont Branch Library, 717 N. 35th Street, during May to see a display of maps, photos, and stories of the Goddards’ life and adventure, presented by the Fremont Historical Society and the library. An 1897 Klondike Gold Rush game based on “pin the tail on the donkey” is ready for kids to play.

On Saturday, May 12th, there will be a reception at 11:00 a.m. followed by a program at 12:00 p.m. All is free. The program includes:

A showing of the documentary Finding the A. J. Goddard. The Goddards sold their boats in 1899 and the Goddard sank in 1901 during a storm. The wreck was not found until 2008, but the steamer and many of its contents were in good condition.

A presentation by Richard Miller, project manager for Northwest Seaport for the Arthur Foss’ 2017 haul out, on the history of the 129 year old vessel, considered to be the world’s oldest wooden tugboat still afloat. Richard will also cover the scope and findings of the haul out.

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the ceremonial opening of the Ballard Locks, Lake Washington Ship Canal, and the Fremont Bridge, there will be a recreation of the 1917 Opening Day Boat Parade on Sunday, July 9.

The Adventuress

The Fremont Historical Society sends these details about the event: The Adventuress, a historic schooner, will go through the large lock, exiting about 11:00 a.m. It will proceed eastward and, at Salmon Bay, 47 other vessels (historic and newer fishing, commercial, private, and government boats) will fall in behind it. Two of the vessels, the GloryBe and the Keewaydin (formerly the Honey Boy) were in the 1917 parade.

The parade will go through the Fremont Cut and into Lake Union. The Adventuress and the Virginia V will turn south immediately and go to their moorages at South Lake Union. The rest of the parade will proceed around Gas Works Park and then down the east shore of Lake Union. Parade boats will pass the Virginia V in review, then turn north up the west shore and disperse. A Seattle fireboat will end the event with a fountain display in the center of Lake Union.

Parade planners anticipate the passing parade to last 30 – 45 minutes with the event concluding about 12:45 p.m. Fremont will have a front row seat along the canal! Remember that July 9 will be a regular Fremont Sunday Market so allow time to find spot to view the parade.

For the latest information, please see http://makingthecut100.org/event/boat-parade or https://www.facebook.com/events/167675043760752/. In addition, there will be a free History Bike Ride on Sunday, July 9, beginning at 10:00 a.m. It will begin and end at Gas Works Park. Bring a bike and a helmet. The ride will parallel the Boat Parade, initially heading west along the north side of the canal to the Locks, crossing the Locks to the south side, then heading east through the Fremont Cut and around Lake Union. There will be stops along the way to view the Boat Parade and to learn about the significance of the Locks, the Ship Canal, and other important sites. Michael Hershensohn, Queen Anne Historical Society, will lead the ride. For more information, see https://www.cascade.org/node/39390.

THE LOCKS CENTENNIAL BOAT PARADE SCHEDULE – The Adventuress and the Puget will enter the large lock from the west at approximately 10:20 a.m. on Sunday July 9. After tie-up and raising, the Adventuress will exit the lock at 11:00 a.m., parade vessels will be staged at several places in Salmon Bay and will move into line following the Adventuress andproceed eastward toward the Fremont Cut. The Puget will bring up the end of the parade.

When the parade enters Lake Union, the Adventuress and Virginia V will immediately turn south to their moorages at South Lake Union while the rest of the parade proceeds around Gasworks Park and then clockwise down the east shore of Lake Union. Parade boats will pass the Virginia V in review, then turn northward up the west shore of Lake Union to disperse. A Seattle fireboat will end the event with a fountain display in the center of Lake Union.

We anticipate the passing parade to last 30 – 45 minutes with the event concluding at approximately 12:45 p.m. This schedule may be impacted by delayed bridge openings and excessive weekend boat traffic.

There are viewing places along both sides of the canal: along the Burke-Gilman trail, near Seattle Pacific University, Fisherman’s Terminal, Fremont, etc. Please note that Gasworks Park is closed to the public on July 9 for a private event.

There will be 47 vessels in the parade including 2 from the 1917 parade. Private boats, fishing boats, commercial and government boats will all be represented. After the parade the Adventuress will moor immediately west of MOHAI while the GloryBe and the Keewaydin from the 1917 parade will moor at The Center for Wooden Boats, all will be available for public viewing.

The Fremont Cut from the area under the Aurora Bridge west to 2nd Ave NW (including Evanston Ave N at the canal)

Fremont Bridge approaches

Burke-Gilman Trail (various spots); roaming docents

2 Nickerson St. on Queen Anne, along the canal

Ballard Bridge approaches

On-street parking is available near most of these locations but we strongly recommend arriving on foot, by public transportation or by bicycle. Most marinas with a view of the Ship Canal or Lake Union have locked gates with entry available only to their tenants; we ask you please respect those.

]]>http://fremontneighborhoodcouncil.org/boat-parade-bike-ride-july-9-commemorate-ballard-locks-opening-100-years-ago/feed/23213FNC Thanks Laurie Ames for Her History of Help with Fremont Projects; Welcomes New Community Engagement Coordinatorhttp://fremontneighborhoodcouncil.org/fnc-thanks-laurie-ames-for-her-history-of-help-with-fremont-projects-welcomes-new-community-engagement-coordinator/
http://fremontneighborhoodcouncil.org/fnc-thanks-laurie-ames-for-her-history-of-help-with-fremont-projects-welcomes-new-community-engagement-coordinator/#respondWed, 05 Jul 2017 22:00:34 +0000http://fremontneighborhoodcouncil.org/?p=3210

Giraffe at the mural

Fremont and the Fremont Neighborhood Council has had a series of official Department of Neighborhood liaisons over the past few years: Tim Durkan, Jenny Frankl, Karen Ko, and, most recently, Laurie Ames. All have been enormously helpful, even as the Department changed its staffing and its relationships with the neighborhoods it serves all over the city. Today, we received this email from Ms. Ames: “I wanted to let you know that I am retiring and today is my last day in the office. It has been an honor and my great pleasure to work with you over the years. Thank you for all you do to build community and help foster a sense of connectedness within neighborhoods. I’ll hope to see you around the ‘hoods as I continue with volunteer projects, check out farmers markets, and get involved with other local efforts. Again, thank you—laurie P.S. Thomas Whittemore is stepping in to the North Region Community Engagement Coordinator role. He can be reached at Thomas.whittemore@seattle.gov or 206-684-4096.”

Laurie Ames gave Fremont superb support when a group of neighbors decided to seek a Department of Neighborhoods grant to paint the 46th Street Mural at Aurora. We look forward to working with Thomas Whittemore, but we will miss you, Laurie, and we wish you well!

Army Corps of Engineers photos–digging the Ship Canal Above: Steam shovel digging the canal in Fremont in 1911: Looking east from a location south of N. 34th, between Evanston Ave N. and Phinney Ave N. Left, bottom: 1912 photo taken from a temporary wooden bridge in Fremont. Looking east towards Capitol Hill. Note the temporary bridge from Stone Way N. to Westlake — with blurred image of a streetcar on the bridge. Left, top: 1912 photo taken looking west towards Ballard from Fremont. The smoke is from a steam shovel working on the Queen Anne side of the canal.

Congratulations to the Fremont Historical Society whose 4Culture grant request was selected for funding. They write: “As you may recall, the funds are to be used to develop the FHS website so that material can be easily added and updated. We plan to include the digital images of the buildings in Fremont taken in 1937 as part of a Works Progress Administration project. Heather McAuliffe created the digital collection in 2004 by taking photos of prints in the property records of the Washington State Archives’ Puget Sound Regional Branch in Bellevue. FHS historical research will be added to the site as well as the historical resource surveys of commercial and residential property in Fremont that Carol Tobin led with the support of the Fremont Neighborhood Council. Current photographs of the buildings in the 1937 collection, oral histories, maps, and a timeline of Fremont history are also planned. We are excited that the upgraded website will make this material easily accessible to everyone.”

]]>http://fremontneighborhoodcouncil.org/fremont-historical-society-receives-grant-to-update-website/feed/03163Historical Society Hosts National Preservation Month Display with Fremont Libraryhttp://fremontneighborhoodcouncil.org/historical-society-hosts-national-preservation-month-display-with-fremont-library/
http://fremontneighborhoodcouncil.org/historical-society-hosts-national-preservation-month-display-with-fremont-library/#respondTue, 26 Apr 2016 22:42:19 +0000http://fremontneighborhoodcouncil.org/?p=2775Did your house pose for its beauty shot? Visit the NATIONAL PRESERVATION MONTH DISPLAY hosted by the FREMONT HISTORICAL SOCIETY partnering with the Fremont Public Library in a display for National Preservation Month.

One of the photos that make up the panorama. Taken from the top of Queen Anne Hill. The large light-colored building is Ross Elementary School at 3rd NW and NW 43rd Street. See 3rd NW to the left of the building. The site is now Ross Park and where the school building was located is now a Little League baseball field. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Come by the library throughout May and see:

Then/Now photos of historic buildings in Fremont with information on their architectural style, builders, past owners, and history.

An enlarged copy of the Fremont section of the Seattle Public Library’s 1905 Baist map.

A 7’ long panorama of circa 1910 photos taken from the top of Queen Anne Hill, looking north. The photos span from the site where the Ballard Locks would later be built, through Ballard, Ross, Fremont, Wallingford, Lake Union, and all the way to Capitol Hill and the tower at Volunteer Park.

On Saturday, May 7th, from 11:00 am and 1:00 pm, there will be a free reception, open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. Members of the Fremont Historical Society will be on hand to share information and answer questions. In addition, Friends of the Ballard Locks will be available to talk about the construction of the Lake Washington Ship Canal and the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (or Ballard Locks). Construction of the canal was underway in Fremont over 100 years ago. Opening day ceremonies for the Ship Canal and the Locks took place on July 4, 1917 which means that centennial events and activities are coming in 2017.

]]>http://fremontneighborhoodcouncil.org/historical-society-hosts-national-preservation-month-display-with-fremont-library/feed/02775In Memory of a small communityhttp://fremontneighborhoodcouncil.org/in-memory-of-a-small-community/
http://fremontneighborhoodcouncil.org/in-memory-of-a-small-community/#commentsFri, 05 Jun 2015 02:11:58 +0000http://fremontneighborhoodcouncil.org/?p=2319Matt Bazemore painted this view of Linden Avenue before the demolitions that began this month, to replace these houses with

]]>http://fremontneighborhoodcouncil.org/in-memory-of-a-small-community/feed/12319Library hosts monthlong display of Fremont history–Reception May 9http://fremontneighborhoodcouncil.org/library-hosts-monthlong-display-of-fremont-history-reception-may-9/
http://fremontneighborhoodcouncil.org/library-hosts-monthlong-display-of-fremont-history-reception-may-9/#respondThu, 07 May 2015 22:22:09 +0000http://fremontneighborhoodcouncil.org/?p=2190The Fremont Historical Society reports that they “and the Fremont Public Library have a display at the library during the month of May. It includes then/now photographs and information on several historic buildings in Fremont and an enlarged copy of the Fremont section of the 1905 Baist map.” They say:

New this year is a 7′ panorama made from 8 photographs taken from the top of Queen Anne hill sometime between 1905 and 1910. The photographer was looking north and the photographs show Ballard on the west, through Fremont and south Wallingford, to Capitol Hill on the east. The library staff did a great job enlarging and assembling the photographs into a panorama. The views of Fremont, Ross, Ballard, Salmon Bay, the lumber mills, etc. are amazing! We have identified a few landmarks to help people get their bearing.

We will be having an informal reception at the library this coming Saturday, May 9, from 11 am to 12:30 pm. Light refreshments will be served. Also during the reception, we will have Jay Sullivan, and his wife Betty, with us. Jay was a very young private when he served during World War II with the 50th General Hospital, a Seattle-based unit. Jay had access to an 8 mm camera (or something like it) with color film and took footage of the 50th General Hospital during the war. Given that May 8, 2015 is the 70th anniversary of V-E Day, we thought it would be great to show the film. Because there is no audio, we are planning to show the film on the main floor of the library with interested folks sitting around a table. For those who want to drop by sometime during May, the Fremont Public Library hours are:

Join the Fremont Historical Society for a reception celebrating the rich history of the Fremont neighborhood.

Description

Learn about the history of Fremont, one of Seattle’s most colorful neighborhoods. Historical photos and maps of the “Center of the Universe” will be on display, and light refreshments will be served.

Each May the Fremont Historical Society creates a display at the Fremont Branch featuring past and current photos of historic buildings in Fremont, celebrating preservation and adaptive reuse of the buildings as part of the nationwide event put on by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Volunteers from the Fremont Historical Society research the history of the buildings and interview the property owners for additional background.

Notes

Library events and programs are free and everyone is welcome. Registration is not required.

743 N 35th St (next to Fremont Library), Project #3016369 Design Review Board Meeting Monday, March 2nd, 6:30pm at Ballard Community Center, 6020 28th Avenue NW Project Description: Council Land Use Action to Contract Rezone 9,314 sq. ft. of land from NC 3-40′ to NC 3-65′ and to allow a five-story structure containing 56 residential units above 1,881 sq. ft. of retail in an environmentally critical area. Parking for 10 vehicles to be provided below grade. Existing structure to demolished. CF #314115. More info here–includes a link to maps and details. [This project is east of the Fremont Library and just west of the smaller office building on the corner of N 35th and Troll Ave.]

Fremont Siphon Project Public Meeting, Monday, March 2nd, 6-8pm at the Fremont Library More info here. [Project is on Leary just as it enters Fremont’s west end from Frelard, at the west end of Canal Park.]

• Get the latest on the project schedule and work hours.
• Learn more about construction impacts, such as project site boundaries and detours to cars, bikes and trail users
• See how the facility will fit in the neighborhood as it provides safe, reliable sewer service

More houses going away in Fremont–see photo above–at 4467 and 4471 Whitman Ave N., to be replaced by 8 townhouses fronting on N 45th. Both were built in 1911 according to property records. Green Canopy, developer, will provide 6 parking spaces though none are required, and has met with neighbors about the planned construction.

Parklets: Here’s more about Seattle’s moving from a pilot program to a full rollout of Parklets and Streateries. These privately funded public spaces will be permitted on a yearly basis by the city; Department of Neighborhoods grants can be used as part of the funding. They are temporary additions, not permanently attached to the street or the curb. One quite local example is the parklet outside Molly Moon on N 45th in Wallingford. Applications are now being accepted. More here: http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/parklets.htm

Crosswalks: On Feb. 23, City Traffic Engineer Dhongho Chang updated FNC on the crosswalk project at N 43rd and Fremont Avenue North. Construction is scheduled to start April 25 and will take about a week. He supplied the drawing for the project, attached here.SDOT re 43rd & Fremont N crosswalk 2-23-15